"I condemn in the strongest terms the arrest and detention in Ankara on 4 August 2025 of the Congress youth delegate in respect of Türkiye, Enes Hocaoğulları," declared Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.
"The arrest and charges in question, based on words spoken by a Congress youth delegate during a plenary sitting of the Congress, flout the fundamental right to free expression - a cornerstone of democracy in Europe and one of the core rights protected by the European Convention on Human Rights which Türkiye is committed to respect as a member state of the Council of Europe. They also amount to unacceptable, direct reprisals against an individual for their legitimate participation in the work of the Council of Europe," he said.
"The Congress has already expressed deep concern about the state of democracy in Türkiye and called on the Turkish authorities to stop prosecuting and detaining elected representatives from opposition parties. This new attack on a youth delegate for having legitimately exercised the right to express their views in a pluralistic public debate, is scandalous and unacceptable. I urge the Turkish authorities to drop all charges against Enes Hocaoğulları and to release him immediately," said President Cools.
